Has testosterone helped anyone with IBS / IBD or general gut issues?

[Anonymon]

I’ve been experimenting with a lower test dose (85mg a week alongside HCG vs 130-160mg a week alongside HCG). I felt better at first like everyone does when changing protocols, then chronic gut issues I’ve had seem to progressively be getting worse despite taking it easier on things that trigger that more than ever for the entire time.

Has anyone found that TRT helped them deal with chronic gut issues? Since they’re a major concern for me, I’m actually thinking of upping my normal dose even higher, maybe even into mini cycle territory depending on how it goes, to see if it helped alleviate those issues for me.

BPC-157 and HGH usually help me a lot with that but suddenly aren’t, and the testosterone dosage change is the only thing that would be progressively leaving my system during this time to account for it.

 

[madman]

I’ve been experimenting with a lower test dose (85mg a week alongside HCG vs 130-160mg a week alongside HCG). I felt better at first like everyone does when changing protocols, then chronic gut issues I’ve had seem to progressively be getting worse despite taking it easier on things that trigger that more than ever for the entire time.

Has anyone found that TRT helped them deal with chronic gut issues? Since they’re a major concern for me, I’m actually thinking of upping my normal dose even higher, maybe even into mini cycle territory depending on how it goes, to see if it helped alleviate those issues for me.

BPC-157 and HGH usually help me a lot with that but suddenly aren’t, and the testosterone dosage change is the only thing that would be progressively leaving my system during this time to account for it.

Glucocorticoids are the main anti-inflammatory hormones that your body produces and would be considered potent anti-inflammatory steroid hormones.

Androgens have been shown to suppress proinflammatory cytokines.

Testosterone most likely has a protective effect.

We are on trt here using therapeutic doses in order to achieve a healthy FT.

Highly doubtful running an absurdly high FT level which many can easily achieve using therapeutic doses of T (100-200 mg/week) let alone running a mini-cycle would be the cure for your issues.

I’ve been experimenting with a lower test dose (85mg a week alongside HCG vs 130-160mg a week alongside HCG).

Have no clue where your trough FT sat on your previous protocol 130-160 mg T/week let alone your current protocol of 85 mg/week which is a significant drop in T.

You cut your weekly dose drastically which would drop your FT.....to what level only labs using the most accurate assays such as the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration (next best) would tell!

 

[Anonymon]

Glucocorticoids are the main anti-inflammatory hormones that your body produces and would be considered potent anti-inflammatory steroid hormones.

Androgens have been shown to suppress proinflammatory cytokines.

Testosterone most likely has a protective effect.

We are on trt here using therapeutic doses in order to achieve a healthy FT.

Highly doubtful running an absurdly high FT level which many can easily achieve using therapeutic doses of T (100-200 mg/week) let alone running a mini-cycle would be the cure for your issues.

I’ve been experimenting with a lower test dose (85mg a week alongside HCG vs 130-160mg a week alongside HCG).

Have no clue where your trough FT sat on your previous protocol 130-160 mg T/week let alone your current protocol of 85 mg/week which is a significant drop in T.

You cut your weekly dose drastically which would drop your FT.....to what level only labs using the most accurate assays such as the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration (next best) would tell!

On my old protocol (.1-.12ml 20mg-24mg of test E or C alongside 100ius of HCG daily), my Total T was the top of the reference range (1200-1300) and my free T was the top of the reference range (190-210). For test that’d be 140-168mg a week with 700ius of HCG a week. I’ve done .8ml at 16mg a day and it was 1150ish TT and 190ish FT, so I didn’t think .6ml (85mg a week) would be that much lower, but apparently in my case maybe it stopped having a protective effect.

Based on 170mg a week+HCG getting me to the top of the reference range in free T, 200mg a week+HCG presumably wouldn’t be that much higher given it’s only 30mg more than the old protocol, but I guess this stuff’s unpredictable and you never know.

Was interesting to see that my interest in sex dropped to zero at a total and free t level that presumably would still be relatively high (presumably in the 700s on total T and still well within the higher end of the free t range).

 

[madman]

On my old protocol (.1-.12ml 20mg-24mg of test E or C alongside 100ius of HCG daily), my Total T was the top of the reference range (1200-1300) and my free T was the top of the reference range (190-210). For test that’d be 140-168mg a week with 700ius of HCG a week. I’ve done .8ml at 16mg a day and it was 1150ish TT and 190ish FT, so I didn’t think .6ml (85mg a week) would be that much lower, but apparently in my case maybe it stopped having a protective effect.

Based on 170mg a week+HCG getting me to the top of the reference range in free T, 200mg a week+HCG presumably wouldn’t be that much higher given it’s only 30mg more than the old protocol, but I guess this stuff’s unpredictable and you never know.

Was interesting to see that my interest in sex dropped to zero at a total and free t level that presumably would still be relatively high (presumably in the 700s on total T and still well within the higher end of the free t range).

30 mg esterified T is going to have a significant impact on driving up your TT let alone FT level.

Again unless you had your FT tested using the most accurate assays (ED or UF) then you have no idea where it truly sits and depending on your SHBG it could be much higher than you think.

One can easily achieve an absurdly high FT with a TT 1200-1300 ng/dL and that is even if one had higher SHBG.

Keep in mind that whether increasing or decreasing T dose hormones be in flux during the weeks leading up until blood levels have stabilized (4-6 weeks when using TC/TE) and many make the mistake of gauging how they feel during this transition which can be very misleading as the body is trying to adjust.

More importantly even once blood levels have stabilized it will take another 2-3 months for the body to fully adapt to those new levels and this is the critical time period when one should gauge how they truly feel overall regarding relief/improvement of low-t symptoms.

Many end up never giving a new protocol a fighting chance and bail out at the 6-week mark if they do not feel well.

 

[Anonymon]

30 mg esterified T is going to have a significant impact on driving up your TT let alone FT level.

Again unless you had your FT tested using the most accurate assays (ED or UF) then you have no idea where it truly sits and depending on your SHBG it could be much higher than you think.

One can easily achieve an absurdly high FT with a TT 1200-1300 ng/dL and that is even if one had higher SHBG.

Keep in mind that whether increasing or decreasing T dose hormones be in flux during the weeks leading up until blood levels have stabilized (4-6 weeks when using TC/TE) and many make the mistake of gauging how they feel during this transition which can be very misleading as the body is trying to adjust.

More importantly even once blood levels have stabilized it will take another 2-3 months for the body to fully adapt to those new levels and this is the critical time period when one should gauge how they truly feel overall regarding relief/improvement of low-t symptoms.

Many end up never giving a new protocol a fighting chance and bail out at the 6-week mark if they do not feel well.

I get mine through a doctor with periodic check in tests and the free testosterone test shows it’s equilibrium dialysis. No idea what my SHBG is at the moment, early on it being in the middle of the range as I recall.

I actually felt best during the transition in the beginning, then it’s gradually been downhill from there, at the end of the 3 week mark now and trending downward in ways that are affecting my health in other areas. If the trend is downward, are there many anecdotes around for it ‘picking up’ after that? I have a friend on a similar protocol as mine and he tried the lower dose I’m on now for most of the pandemic in fear of not being able to get more test and it never trended upward for him, he just felt bad the whole time.

 

[bixt]

The dopamine rush is usually responsible for the feel good which goes away couple weeks later despite high TT / FT numbers.

In these cases I am strongly inclined to now believing a lot of these guys have undiagnosed subclinical depression resulting in anhedonia, decreased drive etc (but not what we usually feel is depression i.e. sorrow, misery, etc)

The honeymoon leads these guys into believing the issue is hormonal, as it temporarily alleviated the symptoms.

With this in mind, an appropriate diagnosis should be obtained and a dopamine agonist such as bupropion would return the lack of drive and zest for life. For those seeking a drug free approach, mindfull meditation may be even more effective as raising dopamine / receptors, but is quite difficult to learn for most who seek something effortless. SSRIs are the wrong solution in this case. TRT may still be required if T is low.

 

[madman]

I get mine through a doctor with periodic check in tests and the free testosterone test shows it’s equilibrium dialysis. No idea what my SHBG is at the moment, early on it being in the middle of the range as I recall.

I actually felt best during the transition in the beginning, then it’s gradually been downhill from there, at the end of the 3 week mark now and trending downward in ways that are affecting my health in other areas. If the trend is downward, are there many anecdotes around for it ‘picking up’ after that? I have a friend on a similar protocol as mine and he tried the lower dose I’m on now for most of the pandemic in fear of not being able to get more test and it never trended upward for him, he just felt bad the whole time.

Post labs or at least reference ranges which would tell what test was done for FT.

3 weeks means nothing as hormones are in flux and it will take the body time to fully adapt to the new T levels once hormones have stabilized.

Increased dopamine plays a role in the honeymoon period but is not the sole cause as AR receptors are being lit up throughout the body.

Eventually, the body adapts to new levels.

Whether starting trt or tweaking a current protocol (increasing/decreasing dose) patience is key.

No one should be driving up their T levels further at the 6-week mark unless levels were still subpar.

As long as he did not drive his FT level down too low and gave the lower dosed protocol at least 12 weeks including the time it takes for serum levels to stabilize (4-6 weeks when using TC/TE) then if he truly felt worse than it would be time to look into tweaking his protocol.

Too many jump the gun at the 6-week mark tweaking their protocol left and right never giving it a fighting chance and end up chasing their tail on that never-ending merry-go-round.

 

[Anonymon]

On .10-12ml of test (20-24mg) and 100iu HCG I day I had:
Total T (MS): 1320 (ref 250-1100ng/dL)
Free T (Dialysis): 211.2 (ref 35.0-155.0 pg/mL)
E2 (ultrasensitive) was always in the low 50s
All done at Quest.

I had one bloodwork done where I was using .8-.10ml of test with 1192 total and a higher 235.4 free T, but these things fluctuate so I’m assuming that would account for that. Still all on daily micro subQ injections.

Interestingly enough, I had a very bad reaction to pure slow release T3 on the same test and HCG doses which shot my free T up to 309.4 and my E2 up to 90ish and felt like complete crap and like I had the TRT plug pulled from me. An AI didn’t help. Stopping T3 did. Speaking with my docs and looking into it and my history, seems like in that case I blew through either my iron or cortisol stores or both, having a poor history on both ends so it could have been either one. Experimented with cortisol and that did help a lot, but still blew through my stores of something, so I’m hoping that’s iron and my current iron supplement and diet protocol will help.